


Break on Through

by eprime



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Community: rs_games, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-11-20
Updated: 2011-11-20
Packaged: 2017-10-26 08:41:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/280998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eprime/pseuds/eprime
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fourteen years later, things are finally looking up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Break on Through

One more step. One more step. Padfoot's paws beat a rhythm for the mantra Sirius kept repeating in his mind. Around the bend. Past the hawthorn. Up the low hill. Down the dirt path. One more step. One more step.

His sensitive nose finally snuffled at the battered welcome mat that he could smell was the very same one he'd wiped his boots on all those years ago--or forgotten to, more like. Even now, his tongue lolled out in a doggy laugh as the words on the mat shifted to spell out: USE ME, WANKER, in letters bold and clear enough that he could read them even as Padfoot.

"Finally got bored of living in caves?"

Remus opened the door wide and let Padfoot slink into the front room. He shut the door behind him and turned to find Sirius giving him a wry grin.

"Just when it was beginning to warm up at long last."

Remus laughed.

"Well, I have a nice hot bath ready for you, poor old thing. And from the looks of you I'd say it's long overdue."

They stood there for a moment, simply taking each other in and then moved to embrace, laughing into each other's shoulders.

"You always were such a flatterer, Moony."

"Mm, yes. Heaven knows you needed all the ego boosting you could get. You were such a delicate flower."

They laughed heartily and Remus pulled back to watch the way the laughter melted the harsh lines and years from Sirius' face.

"Come on, you, let's get you cleaned up. I've dinner on the stove for after."

"It smells delicious," Sirius said with an appreciative sniff.

"Would you rather eat first?"

"No. No, a bath sounds lovely, actually."

He ushered Sirius into the small but serviceable bathroom that was steamy with luxurious warmth curling up from the full claw-footed tub.

"I picked up a bottle of that poncy shampoo you used to like."

Remus pointed to the tray laid out with soaps, shampoo, sponges, and face cloths.

"There are the towels, toothbrush on the sink, and there's a robe for you hanging on the hook behind the door. Slippers there, and I'll lay out more clothes for later."

He looked around to make sure there wasn't anything he was forgetting when Sirius laid a hand on his arm.

"Remus."

Sirius was regarding him with bright eyes, and Remus' heart wrenched.

"Thank you," Sirius said. "For all of this."

"Don't be an idiot, Sirius," Remus said gruffly. "Enjoy your bath. Whenever you're ready we'll eat."

Sirius curved his mouth in a ghost of a grin and nodded.

"Righto."

When his fingers went to the fastenings of his robe Remus disappeared.

 

* * *

 

"I'm glad you're finally here," Remus said after dinner had been eaten and tidied away and the two of them were nursing glasses of firewhiskey at the small kitchen table. "I've reread all of Snuffles' letters so many times they're about to fall to pieces."

"I wanted to come before, you know," Sirius answered without looking at Remus. He had a finger dipped into his glass chasing an ice cube around the inside perimeter.

"I know."

Remus watched Sirius, taking advantage of the moment to really study him as if to convince himself that Sirius truly was here sitting in his kitchen and that he wasn't going to disappear again. Sirius was...skinny and pale and unkempt, that was undeniable, but despite all that Remus could still see the essential Sirius, his indomitable spirit that made him just as beautiful as those high cheekbones and clear eyes ever did.

When Sirius met his gaze, Remus felt a bit exposed, and he had to force himself not to look away or to flush.

"What are you thinking about?" Sirius asked. He watched Remus curiously.

"How only you could spend thirteen years in Azkaban and still come out looking so good."

As soon as the words were out Remus wanted to kick himself. He wasn't prone to making embarrassing declarations nor to blurting out insensitive remarks.

But a surprised, pleased smile spread over Sirius' face.

"That's not what you said earlier," Sirius pointed out.

"Well, yes, you smelled then, quite badly I might add, but you clean up nicely."

Sirius laughed.

"I could do with a haircut, though." He lifted a hand and let it drift over the still damp tangle of hair that fell over his shoulder. "Maybe you could give me a hand with it later?"

Remus suddenly grinned. "Do you remember when you asked James to give you a trim that time in seventh year because you didn't want to be bothered going to Hogsmeade, and he ended up hexing all your pubic hair off because you wouldn't shut up about how inept he was, and that he'd made a muck of it on purpose because he was jealous of your good looks?"

Sirius threw back his head and laughed. "I remember how itched like mad when it grew back."

Remus smiled fondly, though there was a hint of something more in his expression as he took a sip of his whiskey.

"What are you thinking now?" Sirius asked again.

"Nothing." This time, Remus did go a bit pink.

"Don't--" 'Lie to me', was how Sirius was going to finish before he caught himself. He knew Remus wouldn't take it badly, but he himself would. Sidestepping that particular verbal landmine he said, "Don't think I don't know you, Remus. What's going on underneath that innocent facade?"

"If you must know," Remus said, giving Sirius a reluctant but somewhat devious grin. "I was thinking about how incredibly smooth your skin felt down there after that, and how I couldn't stop touching you for days."

"Oh." Sirius was driven to silence for the space of a few seconds as that sank in and he _remembered_ and his face lit up with an arch grin. "I do remember. We almost got caught more times that week than all the rest of the time combined because you couldn't stop shoving your hands down my pants in public."

"Poor, innocent Sirius. Such outraged virtue," Remus said with a sad shake of his head.

"I don't remember outrage being my predominant reaction."

They laughed again, holding each other's gaze until a bit of awkwardness grew between them. Remus shifted to break the tension and nodded toward the sitting room. "Want to go stretch out in front of the fire?"

Sirius nodded and followed Remus to the sofa, finishing off his drink on the way.

"Want another?"

"Not right now, thanks."

Remus sat on the sofa and Sirius hesitated a moment before settling down next to him. It was warm this close to the fire and Remus' home seemed even cozier; intimate and welcoming the way being near Remus had always made him feel.

"Sirius," Remus began. "I don't know how to say this without just saying it, and I know I probably shouldn't just say it, or I should wait--but I can't because I feel like not saying things before messed everything up so badly, and I just would rather _say_ things and mess things up than _not_ say things and mess things up."

The way Remus was rambling was somewhat alarming to Sirius. Rarely was he so ineloquent and Sirius was equal parts curious and apprehensive. He frowned, though, and reached out to tug on the cuff of Remus' sleeve.

"Hey, I thought we'd covered this. If anyone--"

"Sirius." And the way he said his name made Sirius break off and listen. "I missed you so much. I miss you. And I--I love you. I still love you. I never stopped. I don't know what you...want to do with that, but I just had to tell you."

After a moment, Remus risked a sidelong glance and found Sirius staring at him blankly.

"You don't know," Sirius finally said in a flat tone that told Remus nothing. Then he laughed incredulously. "You don't know what I want to do with that?"

Sirius' hands came up to cover his face as he threw his head back against the couch cushions and began to laugh helplessly, Remus watching with widened eyes and a growing sense of alarm when Sirius didn't stop.

"Er...Sirius. We don't--I mean, you don't have to say anything. I shouldn't have brought it up. I--"

His words cut off as Sirius dropped his hands to fist them in Remus' shirt, pulling him away from the back of the couch and into Sirius' personal space.

"Idiot. Do you think I didn't dream of you saying those words to me, just like that, any time I dared while I was still in Azkaban? You think I didn't dream of them every day this past year while I was hiding out?" His voice got louder and higher. "Do you _really_ not know what I want to do with that?"

Their faces were close enough that their warm breath mingled, mouths almost touching. "So, then..." Remus' tongue darted out to wet his lips before he found his voice again. "Want to fuck?"

Sirius laughed, rich and joyful this time, and pulled Remus into a kiss.


End file.
